Dr.

Suzie Bio 102 July, 2024

` FUNGI AND ALGAE

Contents
1. Introduction, Characteristics, Morphology, Classification & Reproduction of Fungi
2. Introduction, Characteristics, Morphology, Classification & Reproduction of Algae

INTRODUCTION TO FUNGI

Fungi (singular: Fungus) is a Greek word (Fungour meaning to flourish). They are members of the
large and most successful group of eukaryotic organisms that ranges in size from, unicellular, moulds
and multicellular/ Fungi were initially grouped under seedless plants of the plant kingdom, but were
later classified as a separate kingdom (MYCOTA). This is because of the following reasons:
1. They have cell wall that is made up of Chitin while that of plants is made up of cellulose.
2. They stored their carbohydrates inform of glycogen while plants store theirs in form of starch
3. Absence of chlorophyll which is present in plants.
The branch of science that deal with the study of fungi is called Mycology (Greek word; Mykes =
Mushroom and logos = study). The scientist that is concerned with the study of fungi is called a
Mycologist.
Fungi are ubiquitous in terms of habitat and cosmopolitan in distribution, found in almost all the
available habitat on earth where organic materials are found.
1. Many others grow on our food stuffs like bread, fruits, vegetable,
2. Jams etc. some are even found in our drinking water and many in the air we breathe.
CHARACTERISTIC OF FUNGI
1. Their cell wall is composed of chitin
2. Their body is made up of thread-like structures, called hyphae.
3. They lack chlorophyll as such they are leaving as heterotrophs
4. They are of variety of size and shapes
5. They stored carbohydrate inform of glycogen
6. They reproduce using spores
7. Some are dimorphic (can switch between unicellular and hyphal form in response to
environment).

MORPHOLOGY OF FUNGI
All fungi are composed of thallus body form that are not differentiated into root, stems and leaves.
Their body is composed of thread-like structures that are called hyphae (singular = hypha) which
intertwined to form some mycelia (singular = mycelium). Apart from the unicellular form (yeast) all
fungi are formed of the hyphae which might be either septate or non-septate.
Morphologically, fungi are grouped into unicellular Yeast and multicellular Moulds.
1) Yeast: These are unicellular form of fungi, that are spherical in shape and reproduce
by budding. They do not have hyphae but sometimes they formed a chain of elongated
hyphae like filament called pseudohyphae. Example; Candida albicans, Saccharomyces
cerevicae, Cryptococcus neofomans, etc.
2) MOULDS: These are multicellular filamentous formed of fungi, that are formed by
thallus of threat-like structures (Hyphae). They are Cylindrical tube like structures that

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elongates and swells at the tips. The hyphae may be branched or non-branch, Septate
or non – Septate, and all in some the formed large macroscopic fruiting body like
mushroom, toad sticks, etc. examples of moulds are Rhizopus Stolotifa, Aspergillu
Species, etc.
CLASSIFICATION OF FUNGI
Fungi are classified into five on the basis of their reproductive process and structures as;
1. Chytridiomycota, Zygomycota, Ascomycota, Basidiomycota and Duetromycota.

REPRODUCTIO IN FUNGI
Fungi reproduce in two ways (sexual and asexual means).
Asexual reproduction is in three ways as; i. bud formation ii. Fragmentation and iii. Sporulation
Sexual Reproduction: sexual reproduction is achieved by sexual union. Its consist of two stages;
i. Plasmogamy: fusion of cytoplasm or hyphae
ii. Karyogamy: fusion of nuclei
INTRODUCTION TO ALGAE
Algae are group of plant-like organisms that are usually photosynthetic and aquatic in nature.
They are non-vascular and have a thalliod body that body that is not differentiated into true
roots, stems and leaves, they also have a simple reproductive structure. Most of them are
phototrophic (they have chlorophyll), although some groups are deriving energy from both
photosynthetic and uptake of organic carbon. They are very important in ecosystems as help in
the production of aquatic food chains. In this process, it releases oxygen gas to the atmosphere.
It produces about 70% of oxygen.
The scientific study of algae is called phycology or algology. While the person that study algae
is called phycologist or algologist
Algae show great diversity in size and structure. They are unicellular, Colonical, filamentous
and thalloid in form. Some are microscopic, while others are very big in size. They do not form
complex organs or tissues. The study of their ultra-structure under electron microscope shows
that blue-green algae have prokaryotic type of cell like that of bacteria while all other algae
are eukaryotes.
Algal Morphology
Morphologically, algae can be distinguished as unicellular, colonial, filamentous, heterotrichus,
thalloid and polysiphoid forms. Examples of each of these types of algae are given below.
VARIOU FORMS OF ALGAE
1. Unicellular Algae: Example Anacystis Microcystis
2. Colonial Algae Microcystic Volvox
3. Filamentions Algae Nostoc} blue-green algae Ulothrix Oedogonium
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4. Heterotrichous Algae Draparnaldiopsis Coleochaete Ectocarpus

5. Thalloid Ulva Fucus (Brown algae)
6. Polysiphonoid Polysiphonia (Red algae)
CHARACTERISTIC OF ALGAE
They are simple plants without roots, stems and leaves. They have Chlorophyll. Some have blue,
yellow, brown and red pigments with the chlorophyll. Majority are uni-cellular while few are
multicellular. Some, such as sea weeds are large. They are mainly aquatic, with a few on damp
soils and shady places examples are spirogyra, anabaena and Sargassum The cell wall of algae is
composed of a true celloulose. Reserve carbohydrates are starch.
CLASSIFICATION OF ALGAE
Classification means grouping of organisms according to the simulating in their characters. It is
not farfetched but true that organisms showing similar morphology, life cycle, physiology and
biochemistry are genetically related from the evolutionary point of view. Therefore, Algae are
classified into classes. These are:
1. Cyanobacteria (prokaryotic algae) or blue-green algae eg. Including Nostoc, An abaena,
Oscillatoria.
2. Chlorophyta (algae) eg. Chlamydomonas, Spirogyra, Chlorella
3. Phaeophyta (brown algae) eg. Fucus, Sargassum, laminaria.
4. Xantophyta (yellow –green algae) eg. Vaucheria, Botrydium
5. Chrysophyta (Golden-Brown algae) eg. Synura, Mallomonas, Chromalina.
6. Euglenophyta (Euglenoids) eg. Euglena, Trachelommas.
7. Dinophyta (Dinoflagellates) e.g. Ceratium, Peridinum.
8. Crytophyta(Crytomanads) e.g. Crytomones, Chroomonas.
9. Bucillariophyta (Diatoms) eg. Diatoma, fragilaria
REPRODUCTIO IN ALGAE
Algae reproduce in three ways (sexual, asexual and vegetativemeans).
1. Asexual Reproduction: it takes place by simply cell division, in which one cell divides to
form two cells or more, e.g., Synechococcus of Cyanophyceae
2. Sexual Reproduction: This involve fission of gamete; the cell is divided by the formation of
a deep constriction (septum formation) on the sides of the cell. E.g., in diatoms and other
unicellular algae.
3. Vegetative Reproduction: Any vegetative part of the thallus grows into a fresh new
organism.

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Table showing differences between Fungi and Algae

Character Algae Fungi

Algae belong to
Fungi belong to the
Kingdom the kingdom
kingdom Fungi.
Protista.

They are terrestrial

They are mostly
and mostly found on
aquatic and found
Habitat the dead matter with
in both fresh and
proper warmth and
marine water.
moisture.

Only
Cyanobacteria are
Prokaryotic/ All fungi are
prokaryotic algae.
Eukaryotic eukaryotes.
Other algae are
eukaryotes.

It possesses It does not possess

Photosynthetic
chlorophyll for any photosynthetic
Pigments
photosynthesis. pigment.

Being an
autotroph, algae Fungi are
possess heterotrophs, they
Nutrition chlorophyll and digest external food
other by secreting
photosynthetic enzymes.
pigments.

They cannot live They can live in the

Darkness
in the dark. dark.

The cell wall is

The cell wall is
Cell Wall composed of
composed of chitin.
cellulose.

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It stores food in It stores food in the

Food Storage the form of form of glycogen and
starch. oil globules.

The fungal body is

Algal body is
filamentous or
Body filamentous or
pasedo-
parenchyatous.
parenchymatous.

It consists of
It consists of
Nucleated uninucleated
multinucleated cells.
cells.